ENDLESS MISERY
Widespread flooding in Penang for the fourth time since Deepavali badly affects SPM students, residents and motorists
THIS is the fourth time our village has been flooded. Every other day, the authorities promise to help us. We also spoke to the press about it, all the time hoping to see things change for the better, but here we are... still dealing with the floods.’
Abdul Ghafor Ghani, a villager in Jalan P. Ramlee
PENANGITES were left devastated yet again after flash floods hit more than 20 areas in the state, the fourth time since Deepavali.
Yesterday’s flash floods, following five hours of continuous downpour since 2.30am, also led to a major landslide, which cut off access to the main Jalan Balik Pulau-Jalan Teluk Bahang arterial road near the Tropical Spice Garden here. A section of the road also caved in.
State Public Works Department director Salleh Awang told the New Straits Times that the stretch would be closed for at least one week.
There was widespread disruption in the state.
More than 100 students sitting their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia either arrived late and drenched or forced to sit the examination at different centres.
At least 15 Form Five students of SMK Abdullah Munshi were ferried to school in boats after water rose to waist level.
Thousands were late for work as traffic was almost at a standstill along all main roads, with several minor accidents reported.
Scores of cars at the Sri Saujana Apartment in Sungai Dua here were submerged. There was also a power outage.
More than 150 houses in and around Jalan P. Ramlee were inundated in floodwaters of between 1m and 3m, affecting more than 300 people.
Another landslide was also reported in Relau along with several other reports of uprooted trees.
Cracks also appeared on the stretch of road leading to the Kek Lok Si Temple.
Chinese national Wang Chao, 23, who has been staying at the Sri Saujana Apartment for the past two months, was shocked to find the interior of his car covered in mud.
The fourth-year undergraduate from the School of Management at Universiti Sains Malaysia said this was his first encounter with the flash floods.
“What am I supposed to do? I don’t think I can use this car any more.
“I have never experienced anything like this back home in the Heilongjiang province.”
Abdul Ghafor Ghani, 48, who stays in Jalan P. Ramlee, said he was frustrated at having to clean his house every other day in the past 10 days due to floods.
“This is the fourth time that our village has been flooded. Every other day, the authorities promise to help us.
“We also spoke to the press about it, all the time hoping to see things change for the better, but here we are... still dealing with the floods.
“We are tired and fed up. I have lost thousands of ringgit worth of belongings in the past week alone.”
Muhammad Hakim Lukman, 18, a resident of Teluk Bahang, said he had to ask his friend to give him a lift on the motorcycle to get to his workplace at a hotel in Batu Ferringhi, after a landslide blocked the road.
“This is scary. I take this road to work every day for the past eight years and never thought that it would collapse like this.
“Cars are barred from using the road, but an occasional motorcycle is still allowed.”
The floods subsided at 11am. Page 1 pic: Students being ferried to SMK Abdullah Munshi in Penang yesterday. (Inset) Landslide and uprooted trees damaged the road to Teluk Bahang.